Authorities in Georgia have arrested a man and accused him of breeding and training 106 pit bulls for dog fighting, sheriff’s officials said.
Paulding County sheriff's detectives arrested Vincent Lemark Burrell, 55, on Tuesday at his home about 30 miles from Atlanta after a long investigation of a "massive dog fighting operation," the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Detectives found unvaccinated pit bulls at the home that had been left outside for days on end and tied to trees or metal stumps in the ground "using large and extremely heavy logging chains and thick collars." Some of the pit bulls were emaciated, while others were very strong and aggressive toward other dogs, authorities said.
There were also dogs in the suspect's basement, where the presence and strong smell of excrement and urine forced authorities to wear protective equipment to enter the home.
"Conditions where dogs were being housed, both inside and on the exterior of this property, were not fit for humans, much less dogs," the sheriff's office said in the statement.
Authorities took the dogs to rescue facilities.
Burrell was arrested without incident and charged with felony counts of cruelty to animals and dog fighting. He remains at the Paulding County Jail, where he was being held without bond.
It was not clear Sunday whether Burrell has an attorney.
Paulding County authorities, including the sheriff's office and the marshal's bureau, have secured multiple search warrants for Burrell's home and are investigating. The sheriff's office said it expects the suspect to face over 100 counts.
Detectives ask anyone with information to come forward.
